I loved the premise of this book, it sounded so intriguing. I found the main plot points of the story so riveting and was keen to learn more but the way it was written felt very long and slow at times which took the momentum of the reading experience away a little. I would read more from the author in future though as the idea of this book was great.

I enjoyed reading this book, characters were believable and he subject thought provoking. I look foward to reading more of this authors work

This is a moving book. I recommend this, best book I've read so far this year. I am interested in reading other titles by this author

A book that took me a little while to plod my way through, I didn’t sprint through it like I do some other books. The idea of the crime itself was really interesting though and I did find myself wanting to know what had happened!

I wasn't a fan of this book. I found the pace too slow, and this dragged down the plot. I loved the idea of a book around sleep disorders and how that might be a migitating circumstance in the judicial system. However the execution wasn't for me. I also never got attached to any of the characters which didn't help my enjoyment.

Anna O by Matthew Blake

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME

What if your nightmares weren’t really nightmares at all?

We spend an average of 33 years of our lives asleep. But what really happens, and what are we capable of, when we sleep?

Anna Ogilvy was a budding twenty-five-year-old writer with a bright future. Then, one night, she stabbed two people to death with no apparent motive—and hasn’t woken up since. Dubbed “Sleeping Beauty” by the tabloids, Anna’s condition is a rare psychosomatic disorder known to neurologists as “resignation syndrome.”

Dr. Benedict Prince is a forensic psychologist and an expert in the field of sleep-related homicides. His methods are the last hope of solving the infamous “Anna O’” case and waking Anna up so she can stand trial. But he must be careful treating such a high-profile suspect—he’s got career secrets and a complicated personal life of his own.

As Anna shows the first signs of stirring, Benedict must determine what really happened and whether Anna should be held responsible for her crimes.

Only Anna knows the truth about that night, but only Benedict knows how to discover it. And they’re both in danger from what they find out.

My Opinion

This is one of those books that I have been wanting to read for a while but something kept telling me to wait. I shouldn't have waited. I read the majority of this in one sitting - I was hooked. A cleverly written book with plenty of twists.

Rating 4/5

Anna O is one of the most profilic suspected killers of modern times. It is said she killed her two best friends possibly while asleep and has remained in a coma like state ever since. A sleep expert has been called in to determine whether she had capacity. I found this book quite a slog, I didn’t think the writing was very gripping and I wasn’t particularly invested in the outcome.

I enjoyed this book, it was certainly different in a sleepwalking kind of way. I really could not get to like Anna O, no matter whether she was asleep or not. There was something very creepy about her character.
As to the family relationship of Ben and his wife and child, that seems to be equally perplexing, do they care or not?
Like several other reviews I did find that the convoluted ending made me wonder what I had actually been reading all week.
However, as I said it was different and and offered something I had never thought about crime and sleepwalking.
Worth a read.

This book sadly wasn't for me, I found it hard to keep engaged and continue reading. In my eyes it didn't deliver on the description as how good it should be.

Anna O has been asleep for 4 years since she’s alleged to have brutally murdered 2 friends and business partners. Dr Benedict Prince is a psychologist brought in to try and wake her to stand trial. This is twisty and at points I felt like I didn’t draw breath for ages (complimentary!) I couldn’t put this down and it separates itself from other crime thrillers with different POVs throughout. Just when I thought I had it solved there was another twist- fantastic!!

For fans of Alex Michalides.

(Review also posted to Amazon and Waterstones, awaiting authorisation from the respective sites for publishing)

As someone who has a history of sleep walking and talking, the premise of this book intrigued me. The early part of the book held that promise for me, I knew my enjoyment would be hinged on the reveal of the plot.

Unfortunately, the book didn’t live up to my expectations. I found the reveal of the story to be convoluted, farcically so. At times, I found myself scratching my head, perplexed by the story. As a reader, I love a good twist, but this was overly drawn out, and stretched plausibility too far.

I’m sure there are many readers who will love Anna O, but I’m afraid it wasn’t for me. Just 3⭐️

Struggled to get into this, I was disappointed as it didn’t live up to the hype surrounding it. Some may enjoy it but it wasn’t for me.

I was very much looking forward to this book and was really enjoying it. Anna’s story was remarkable and was nicknamed sleeping beauty. Imagine being asleep for such a length of time after it is believed you committed murder. I fell in love with Ben the sleep dr who believes he can wake Anna. The book was a real page turner until the last quarter. I was disappointed in the ending and the further deaths that followed. The book was so well written and I would imagine if it is ever made into film/series I hope they change the ending.

The premise for this book grabbed me far more than the execution. I wasn't overly keen on the point of view being predominantly from the doctor, and so many parts in the story had me thinking "well, if the police did just a little bit of delving..." Ultimately though the bookhinged on the payoff where we find out the real story behind everything and it was such a long bit of exposition that really didn't click with me that I came away thinking " that was a bit silly". Easy to read, but was it worth it??

Though the concept was promising, I felt the pacing and length of this title dragged it down and that the plot got too tangled in itself. The pacing was too slow until the climax - by this point I had lost interest.

An enjoyable read, took me a while to get into though.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I do like a book with an unreliable narrator, and Anna O has them in spades! You won’t know who to trust - even the people you’re supposed to be able to rely on will prove thoroughly untrustworthy. And everyone in this novel has a secret or two that they don’t want anyone to know about.

The Anna O in question, is a woman who committed murder and then immediately fell asleep. Four years later, the Home Office want Dr. Benedict Prince, a specialist in sleep disorders, to wake her up. He’s reluctant to be involved with the case because of his own secrets, and as the story continues his fears are proven correct.

This is an exciting read believe it or not, even though one of the main characters is asleep!
The short chapters means the story races along, and I was repeatedly left on a cliffhanger.
What a ride this story was!!

This thriller turned out to be anything but thrilling... I don't often give negative reviews, but I must admit that I really struggled with this book. It took me months to finish, which is quite rare for me, as I usually devour books quickly. Unfortunately, this one proved to be quite a challenge, and I'm relieved to finally be done with it.

I had high hopes for this book, considering it seemed to be right up my alley. However, it turned out to be a slow read that failed to capture my interest and build momentum as I progressed.

This has a thrilling premise but its pacing is a little off. It moves more slowly than expected and the characters are difficult to connect with.

Absolutely wonderful book, I loved every moment spent in the world of the characters. Dilemmas and joys all expertly crafted thank you!